Quick Wear: Cousin, Come to the Bowl Quickly

"and many more!"

The black and old window leaf was slowly pulled open by fingers wrapped in gauze, and the girl's lively face, accompanied by the emerald green of the garden, gradually came into Shen Jingyuan's sight again.

"You... why are you in such a hurry?!" Lin Xi glared at Shen Jingyuan angrily, then seemed to realize that her tone was too stiff. She bit her lip and spoke again, "You, when are you leaving?"

A breeze blew by, shaking the sparse bamboo shadows in front of the window, making a rustling sound, and also lifted a few strands of soft hair on Lin Xi's forehead.

Shen Jingyuan clenched the petal in his palm, which had already been moistened by his body temperature, even tighter. His eyes were as calm as water, falling on her face, and he did not speak for a long time.

Lin Xi felt a little uneasy when she saw his eyes. She couldn't help but take a small step back and raised her voice in an attempt to cover up her mistake.

"You, don't think too much. I, I'm just asking casually. I don't want to give it to you."

"Yeah." It was like a new green leaf suddenly sprouting from a withered branch. At that moment, Shen Jingyuan felt a part of his heart quietly loosen up, and even his tone was tinged with a sense of ease that he himself hadn't noticed. "I know."

Lin Xi didn't understand why Shen Jingyuan in front of her suddenly seemed like a different person. His face was still the same, and his expression was still the same cold expression that had never changed for thousands of years, but for some reason she felt a little uneasy and uncomfortable all over.

After thinking for a long time without any clue, Lin Xi could only temporarily attribute this to "one who takes favors from others is not willing to give back, and one who eats from others is not willing to give back". After all, she had never been kind to him, but he still promised to take her to the north in the future. It was only natural that she felt a little guilty and uneasy at this moment.

Lin Xi, who thought he had figured out the key, couldn't help but straighten his back, trying to make himself look more confident, and spoke in his usual domineering manner.

"Know what? You know it. Just answer the question you're asked. Don't talk about other things."

"Heh." Shen Jingyuan heard a soft laugh escape from his throat uncontrollably. He then straightened his expression and, facing Lin Xi's "saw a ghost" expression, he quietly opened the door and said, "Just these few days."

Hearing his inexplicable smile, Lin Xi felt that the uneasy feeling in her heart and the weak hands and feet not only did not ease, but became even worse. She swallowed nervously and glared at Shen Jingyuan opposite her.

"I know...I know."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and was about to leave without caring whether Shen Jingyuan heard her or not. However, after taking two hurried steps, she seemed to suddenly remember something and turned around unwillingly.

With an anger that was hard to tell whether it was shame or annoyance, Lin Xi rushed to the window, stretched out her hands, and slammed the two ebony window panels shut with a "bang", then turned around and left without looking back.

"Laugh, laugh, laugh! It's inexplicable!"

Although separated by tightly closed window panels, the girl's dissatisfied muttering still floated in clearly, and every word fell into the ears of the person inside the window.

Shen Jingyuan stood there for a long time without moving, and he himself did not even notice that his eyes, which always showed coldness, were now filled with tenderness.

After a long time, until the hurried and crisp footsteps gradually faded away and disappeared completely, Shen Jingyuan sat back in the chair, spread out his palms, gently unfolded the deformed petal in his palm, and tucked it into the pages of the book beside him.

……

Shen Jingyuan left at dawn on the third day, taking advantage of the night without disturbing anyone.

When he turned out of the alley leading to the main street from the Lin Mansion, he couldn't help but look back for some reason.

The dim alley was deserted, with only two lanterns burning all night under the porch in front of the corner gate of the Lin Mansion, quietly emitting dim light.

After just one glance, Shen Jingyuan withdrew his gaze and couldn't help laughing at himself in his heart. It was obviously he who lied to Lin Xi, saying that they would leave at noon tomorrow, but they actually left early.

With her heartless nature, she should be fast asleep at this moment. How could she appear at the door in the dark to see him off?

The faint melancholy in my heart had not yet spread out before it was interrupted by the panting and clanging sound of a train entering the platform.

Shen Jingyuan reached out and pulled down the brim of his hat, covering most of his eyes and eyebrows, and squeezed into the car with the crowded crowd.

Although this northbound train departed very early, the platform was still crowded with all kinds of passengers because it only runs once every few days.

Fortunately, Shen Jingyuan bought a second-class ticket and got on the train early, so the carriage was relatively spacious. He quickly scanned the carriage and soon found an empty seat by the window and sat down.

A moment before the train started, passengers continued to pour in, the empty seats were gradually filled, and the noise gradually rose.

However, whether it was a coincidence or the cold and stern aura around Shen Jingyuan was too obvious, the seat next to him remained empty until the car door closed.

Shen Jingyuan was actually happy to see this happen. Although he was now disguised, apart from his overly tall frame, he looked like an ordinary businessman with a small mustache and wearing a cheap suit. However, having no one around him could ultimately reduce a lot of unnecessary attention and risks.

"Woo——"

The whistle sounded, and the long roar tore through the silence of dawn. The wheels hit the rails heavily, making a "clang clang" sound. The train started slowly, and the platform and the crowd of people seeing it off began to move backwards.

Shen Jingyuan's tense nerves relaxed a little with this regular rhythm. He turned his head and looked out the window, seemingly admiring the scenery, but actually deducing the details of the next itinerary and mission in his mind.

Just as he was lost in thought, a clear yet abrupt voice suddenly rang out beside his ears. "Excuse me, sir. Is anyone here?"

Shen Jingyuan's body suddenly stiffened. He suspected that he was hallucinating due to being tense for days, and did not speak for a while.

However, the visitor seemed to take his silence as a tacit agreement and spoke softly to himself.

"It seems there is no one left."

As the words fell, Shen Jingyuan felt the seat next to him sink and the man sat down.

Almost at the same time, a clear and familiar scent of tea came into his nostrils.

Shen Jingyuan's heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat, then suddenly accelerated.

The fingertips on his knees suddenly tightened, his eyes widened, and he turned his head suddenly, looking at the person who came in disbelief.